Golf tee and method of making the same



June 28, 1932. A. L. BECKET 1,864,516

GOLF TEE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed May 31; 1950 INVENTOR arm 1% golf course. I

Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF c-E. i

ALAN L. IBEGKET,- OF EAST QRANGE, NEW'J'ERSEY 1 GOLF TEE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE sAME Application filed May 31, 1930. Serial No. 457,994.

This invention relates to golf teesof the general character now commonly used in substitution for sand tees, the same'being a small painted object adapted to be inserted into the ground and having a depression or recess in the top thereof in which'a golf ball can be placed. These tees are made of many different materials such as wood, metal, celluloid,

etc., and are commonly sold in boxes containing a dozen or more individual tees.

i As one who is interested in golf and has used and seen others use these tees, I am aware that inconvenience and annoyance is frequently oaused by having a numberof such tees loose in the pocket. The sharp ends sometimes come in contact with the body with discomforting results and more frequently they pierce the sweater or other clothing in which they are carried and thus harm the fabric; if other small objects are carried inthe pocket it is almost impossible to withdraw the same without emptying the pocket of its entire contents. Furthermore, itis unsatisfactory to carry around in ones pocket a more or less bulky box containing tees, not only because of'the space thus consumed but also because of the inconvenience of continually having to open the box in withdrawing or replacing tee's,and as such boxes soon become crushed or broken open in the pocket, they are then discarded and left to clutter up the It is the purpose of my invention, among other things, to avoid and overcome the difiiculties and objections above stated. This I accomplish in the manner hereinafter set forth in connection 'with the drawing in which: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof a plurality of carrot shaped tees formed in one piece in accordance with my invention 5 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an individual tee separated from the strip shown in Fig. 1, and ready for use; s

Fig. 3 isaside view of an individual tee of somewhat difi'erent'shape; 3

Fig. 4 a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; V I

Fig. 5 is aperspective view of a plurality of tees of the shape shown in Figs. 3 and 4, v

1 formed in one piece; and

a mould suitable for making the tees shown Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a portion of in Fig. 5. I,

Fig. 7 is an end view of a plurality of tees 7 showing a monogram section.

My invention contemplates an improved golf tee and also the manufacture .of golf tees in such a manner that the same may be 00 separably connected in the manufacturing process and are adapted to be sold in strips or groups containing any desired number of tees, thus permitting the user to carry the n same as a unit in his pocket or bag, and to65 detach one or more tees at a time as the occasion demands.

Fig.1 shows a number'of golf tees l'made in one operation and connected by fins 2 p which hold the tees together in a single unitary strip. Fig. 2 shows a single tee after the same has been separated from the strip shown in Fig.2 is ready for use. The tees 7 shown in Fig. 1 are simply packed,'as it were, for convenient handling and carriage.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show myinvention as embodied in tees of a different shape than the conventional carrot shaped tees. I have =3 found this shape and form to be particularly advantageous from the standpoint of convenience and ease of use as well as from the standpoint of economical manufacture; The p I top or head of the tee may be circular as 35 shown in Fig. 5, and hollowed slightly to receive a golf ball. The balance of the tee is a wedge shaped blade as shown in Figs. .3 and 4. So far as I am aware, no tee ofthis V shape has heretofore been known, and 'I behave itto be highly advantageous for the reason that it avoids the chief objectionto carrot shaped tees, the difliculty of inserting them into hard earth, and at the sametime embodies the chief advantage of -carrot shaped tees, which is strength and durability. Similarly, my tapering blade tee can be inserted into the ground with less pressure than of my tee widens out as it approaches and joins the under side of the head, both blade and head being thus heavily reinforced against breakage.

Figs. 1 and 5 show straight strips of tees with the points alternately reversed, and Fig. 7 shows the tees grouped in such a way as to makeacomplete circle, the points all extending inwardly and the heads outwardly. The embodiment shown in Fig. 7 is particularly desirable because of itsattractive and decorative appearance and because, as shown in Fig. 7, a small circular section is or may be provided at the center of the disc, upon which a trademark or monogram may be moulded or -.otherwise formed.

The sep'arably connected teesof my invenit'll 011313.) be made of any desired material and in any desired manner. Those skilled in the art of pressing, molding or shaping will have no difficulty in practicing my 1nvention. Materials, such for example, bake- =lite, celluloid or other material of this nature, are well adapted for the manufacture ftees in accordance with my invention.

In making thecarrot shaped tees shown in .iFig. 1,.two sheets, layersor strips of celluloid 201' other .moldable material may be placed in .a m01d,-0ne sheet oneach side of the forms .or pins around which the tees are to be formed, and by applying heat and forcing the two sheets together around the forms and into contact with each other along the center line, and forcing away all surplus material except the connecting fins; strips of tees as shown in Fig. 2 are readily fabricated.

In making tees of the form shown in Figs. 3,4: and5 of the drawing, a mold of the character illustrated in Fig. 6 may be used. This consists of a lower member 2 having a se- ;ries of triangular or wedge shaped cavities .5 an upper member (not shown in the drawing) having similar and corresponding cavities, and two side bars 3 each having a se ries of bulges or protuberances 4 positioned so that they will abut the base of the cavities v5,. Powder or material in sheet form is placed between the upper and lower memers of themold and heat and pressure are applied If a very thin fin or connecting portion is desired,the cavities may be brought almost into contact. The heatand pressure applied as aforesaid causes the material to flow into the recess 7 for the top or head of the tee and against the bulges or protuberances 4 in the side bars, thus producing the smooth and slightly recessed top of the tee.

.The blade of the tee is of course, formed by the material pressed into the triangular cavities5. The pointed end of the blade may be formed, if desired, in the bars 8 in a small cavity shown in Fig. 6 at 8.

A s above stated, the fins or connecting portions between thetees may be of any desired thickness, depending on the material used and the degree of strength required. So also they may be short or long and may be heavier in the center than at the ends. They may extend the full length of the tee or only part way as desired in any particular case.

The material used in making tees accordingto my invention may be in powder form or sheet stock if desired but I have found that moldable, plastic materials may be produced or purchased more cheaply in what is known as extruded form. That is, the material is forced or-extruded through a nozzle and comes out in rods or strips. If desired, a nozzle may be used that will extrude the material in a strip of suitable width and thickness for use in themold above described. The thickness of the strip may Vary if dethe materialis in a state of flux, a thin film.

of resin is always brought to the surface of the molded piece and it is in part due tothis that the strength of a'bakelite piece lies in the surfaces. Itis obvious therefore that. the greater the amount ofsurface in respect to the cross section of the article, the greater is the strength of the article. The thin flat blade shown in Figs. 3, .tand 5, is designed to give a large amount of surface in respect to the .amount of material used in the shank. It is highly desirable to produce a tee .-having a shank of small cross section so that the same may be easily pushed into hard earth without breaking the blade. .A thin strong blade ofsmall cross sections as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is therefore highly desirable.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that my invention has numerous embodiments. Those herein described are illustrative of the invention but I do not intend to be limited to the particular forms shown or described. Many changes in the shape of the tees, the material used, the method of manufacture or the shape, size or kind of fin or other tee connecting means may bemade or employed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a piece of semi-rigid material having therein a series of non-parallel frangible fins so positioned that each two consecutive fins converge and describe the outline of a pointed golf tee shank, the materialat the edge of said semirigid piece flaring out to form a series of recessed heads or caps which are integrally jointed to the upper ends of said shanks, said semi-rigid piece being convertible into a plurality of golf tees by breaking said semi-rigid piece along the said frangible fins.

2. As an article of manufacture, a piece of semi-rigid material with no sharp edges or protruding points, said piece having therein a plurality of frangible sections which, when broken, will separate said semi-rigid piece into a plurality of semi-rigid units, each of Which comprises a head recessed to receive a golf ball and a supporting member integrally joined to said head.

3. A plurality of moulded golf tees formed in a single unitary circular piece having frangible connecting fins joining said tees together, each tee comprising a pointed shank and a head recessed to receive a golf ball, the

pointed end of each such shank lying sub-c stantially at the center of said circular piece and the heads of said tees lying substantially at the circumference of said circular piece, and each tee being disengageable from the unitary circular piece by breaking the frangible connecting portion of said moulded material that joins the said tees together.

4- A golf tee made of moulded material, said tee consisting of a straight flat sided shank and a head recessed to receive a golf 7 ball, said shank being tapered from the pe- I riphery of the head portion to a point at one end for insertion into the ground, and the upper end thereof beingmoulded into the under side of the head substantially across the full Width of said head at its Widest point.

' ALAN L. BEGKET. 

